Things to do in Odessa/Yalta

[Executioner]

Hello All,

 

We are headed to the Black Sea on the MSC Opera in September and I wanted to see if anyone has done any tours and/or what are the don't miss things in Odessa and Yalta. The boat is only dock in Odessa for about six hours, we are planning on just doing a walking tour. Beside the Potemkin Stairs, what else is there to see in Odessa?

 

Due to the distance between sites in Yalta, I think we are just going to do the MSC tour, but I would still like to know if there are any don't miss sites to see.

 

Thank you in advance.

[cruza]

Hello All,

 

We are headed to the Black Sea on the MSC Opera in September and I wanted to see if anyone has done any tours and/or what are the don't miss things in Odessa and Yalta. The boat is only dock in Odessa for about six hours, we are planning on just doing a walking tour. Beside the Potemkin Stairs, what else is there to see in Odessa?

 

Due to the distance between sites in Yalta, I think we are just going to do the MSC tour, but I would still like to know if there are any don't miss sites to see.

 

Thank you in advance.

 

You definetely need to see Odessa's Opera House (as beautiful as in Vienne) and I recommend to visit famous Odessa farmers market, called Privoz.

[Fafos]

Hello!

As for Yalta, distances are not very short. Livadia Palace 5 km, Alupka Palace 22 km, Massandre Palace 5 km, Botanical Gardens 9 km ect. Better for you to take a private tour - not expensive, fast, and you cen see much more. you can contact sergo22@inbox.ru

 

SkithianHistorian are you from Crimea?

[Fafos]

Yes, Fafos, I`m from the Crimea, Yalta. Sorry for my English :)

 

My English are worse than yours:p

 

I come at Crimea year by year.. my wife is from Saki and we visit her parents.. I'll be there next Sunday:D and maybe we visit (for 5th time) Yalta.. this city remind me my country (Greece)..

 

Don't loose Livadia and Swallow's Nest!!!

[Fafos]

!! Congretulations! :) Ukrainian lwomens are the best!:D

You will see real crazy period in Yalta!:) many-many visitors on the cost of Pontos Evksinas !!:)

Are you live in Greece?

 

Yes, I'm live in Athens... only Ukrainians women from Crimea are the best..:p

 

Before 2 years I've go to an area between Saki and Eupatoria and I see there have found many Greek and Skithian ancients..

[Fafos]

Sure, we have many historical places - from antique greecs 5-4 cen BC, antil Modern History. The Crimea is the World in miniature. Famous Kipling wrote: "East is East, West is West and they will never come together". But what would he say after visit to the Crimea? :)

 

And my respect to Father Herodotus - the great greec!:D

 

Well, I'm Plutarch fan.. is more mysterious ..:p but we have some dozens: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Category:Ancient_Greek_historians

[ILoveScotland]

We were on the Celebrity Galaxy in October 2007 and took a ship's tour out of Odessa to Bilhorod-Dnistrovsky which gave us a chance to see some of the countryside. We visited a fort and a private home where we were served traditional small foods along with pepper flavored vodka and homemade wine. The vodka went with us on the bus and was enjoyed by all! We also had lunch and were entertained by a folk group. We loved it, but it did mean we saw little of Odessa.

 

DH stayed on the ship in Yalta, and I went on a private tour with others from our Roll Call. I don't know who the guide was as I didn't organize the tour. We went to the Livadia Palace which was just wonderful with its complex history and then to another smaller palace and also to a church in the city. After the tour I walked along the waterfront, had lunch at an outdoor cafe and was kept company by a delightful cat.

[ILoveScotland]

but as far as I understood, your first emotion in the Ukraine was vodka:)

 

by the whay, some years ago I have had a client on my private tour from Scotland - old and tall man. When we walk in Livadia Palace, he saw a lady, she played by violin, but very bad. And he give her 1 metal pound and sad with wery serious face: "It`s for your lessons" :D

 

No, no. I saw Yalta first and began to learn about the Ukraine. I loved Livadia Palace, seeing where Churchill, Stalin and Roosevelt met and seeing where the Romanovs lived. I also liked seeing the Messandra Palace and the Alexander Nevsky Cathedral was magnificent.

 

I learned a lot from our guide in Odessa who was very knowledgeable and gave us a brief walking tour of Odessa before we went on the bus to Bilhorod-Dnistrovsky.

 

Then I enjoyed seeing the countryside. And I enjoyed visiting with the family, seeing their home and learning about their culture.

 

I also enjoyed our lunch and the folk singers.

 

The vodka was just an extra treat.

 

And I'm not from Scotland. I just love the country. I live in North Carolina in the United States.

[ILoveScotland]

OK, YouLoveScotland :) It is ukrainian humor :) and scotish :)

sure, I understood. afrer my first visit to US I have new empressions too. As for me, Metropolitan Museum of Art - the best (I`m Historian)

 

I agree about the Metropolitan Museum of Art. It is grand.

[Fafos]

Hi, Fafos!

Have you a plan to visit the Crimea yet?

I want to take you my contacts, but as far as I understood, I can not. :confused: Accordanly of rools of this site, if I want to bee an expert of region, I can not published my contacts. Is it trought?

 

 

you can't add here an url to tourist offices, agents etc... you can add an email without problem..

 

I'm ready for Crimea.. just buy 3 kilos olives:p

 

I can't use internet there.. some times I go to an internet cafe at Saki for read my emails...I detoxification:D

[Fafos]

!!great/ Thanks, Fafos!

That`s for you: *****

write me please, and I will sand you my cell phone.

I`m feeling like conspirator-dissident in former Soviet Union :) Fafos, if they will removed me from here, it will be your folt, and I will fined you in Saki, And many-many foreigners would not know about Yalta :)

 

Fafos, I can change 1 kilo of olives to 1 bottle of ukrainian vodka Nemiroff . It is an official sponsor of boxers world-chempions Klichko brothers :) (my yanger brother work a vice-cheaf of the state administration of Nemirov district of Vinnitsa region. Nemiriv is a town in the center of Ukraine).

 

and next bottle we will open in Yalta :)

 

I'm not sure if visit Yalta because we have a health problem with my wife's mother.. if I visit Yalta I'll contact you..